Works well with others

When I taught high school at that inner city school, I was in the business department with five to six other women. We all worked very hard, contributing to the department’s success with our various talents. It was a success, all the way around, and a joy to work there. I always said, I work with the best people.

When I retired, that was a goal, to continue to work with the best people. There are not that many out there. I hold to a certain standard of quality of work, but I also want to enjoy the people with whom I do that work. No matter what the task, working with crummy people can zap one’s spirit.

Working with the historical committee at church on the 130th anniversary project, I found another group of kindred souls. Each person had a special talent that they added to the group, and they were so much fun to work with. They all had the desire to reach a high level of quality.

There have been a few other groups along the past three years with which I’ve worked that I cannot say the same thing. Many wanted me on their team because I worked so hard and at a high level but they didn’t feel the need to do likewise. I’ve moved on.

This past week, and all of next week, I am working with Fresno Historical Society, answering the phones and doing “go-fer” work. I really don’t mind what I have to do because, again, the women with whom I am working are wonderful. They demand a high quality of work, and they give the same in all they do. They are funny, and smart, and an all-round good bunch.

So, I have learned something in these past three years. It matters not what work I am doing; what matters are the people with whom I am working.

Some people are just better workers than others, I have finally figured that out. It matters not what you give them to do, they will do a fabulous job at it, whether they are all that interested or not in the cause. I was on the board of a nonprofit for which I truly believed in the cause, as I thought the others did too. However, the quality of work the others produced made me so sad that I resigned from the board.